


Affluenza

by juggiejonessss



Category: Riverdale - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bad Boy Jughead, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Golden boy Archie, Good Girl Betty, Lots of scandals, More tags to be added, Riverdale is Bel Air, Riverdale reimagined, Slow Burn, affluenza, bughead - Freeform, choni, conan gray - Freeform, kinda slow burn, mature themes, varchie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:48:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24660325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juggiejonessss/pseuds/juggiejonessss
Summary: "Affluenza" is a social condition that arises from the desire to be more wealthy or successful. It is a social condition that presents itself in individuals in positions of high status or privilege who believe that they will not be held accountable for their actions because of their social position.- Adam Hayes on "Affluenza"💸💸💸"All these kids have got affluenza."Riverdale, despite its small population, is the elite town of America. Known for being the town where prominent business owners, world-renowned actors and heirs to huge amounts of fortune settled down. Each household has a different story, gossip spreads like wildfire, arguments turn into feuds and money seems to be the only way to solve problems.Question: in a town where everyone puts up a fake facade, who could you trust? More importantly, can you even trust anyone?💸💸💸Riverdale-centric AU in which Riverdale is Bel Air and everyone is a member of the elite.
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz
Comments: 17
Kudos: 28





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> It’s been a while, but I’m writing again!!! I also made a cover for this story but I don’t know how to post it here...sigh.
> 
> This fic is inspired by “Affluenza” by Conan Gray.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a while, but I’m writing again!!! I also made a cover for this story but I don’t know how to post it here...sigh.
> 
> This fic is inspired by “Affluenza” by Conan Gray.

Riverdale might be a small town, but it is _the_ town. It had its own version of the Hamptons and had some of the most beautiful real estate in the world, owned by those who have made a name for themselves and have established their brands. It oozed money, power, and authority; the three things that everyone in Riverdale seemed to have.

Since the town was exclusive to its residents and was very selective of the guests that they entertained, Riverdale's population wasn't overwhelming and everyone knew everyone. There are those who are more prominent than others though, depending on who their family is or who they're seen socializing with.

The Lodges were almost always surrounded by scandals. They were a family of three—the wife, Hermione, who is a retired actress now turned to a reality star who is rarely seen without her glass of expensive chardonnay; Hiram, the savvy business man who owns many of Riverdale's establishments and had rumored ties to the mafia; and their daughter Veronica, who dreams of owning her own fashion empire and is regarded as Riverdale's Park Avenue princess. Their reality show was both a blessing and a curse, considering the fact that it brought them closer together and through it, they often gained the world's affection, despite the fact that they almost always end up in pathetic situations involving tons of miserable accusations and scandals.

The Blossoms are heirs and heiresses to the Blossom Maple Empire, famous for their maple-infused alcoholic beverages and signature red hair. Clifford, the current patriarch, and Penelope, his wife, have been clouded with scandals ever since traces of evidence have linked them to the Maple Club, which apparently is the sex dungeon for aristocrats. They rarely leave the confines of their gothic mansion, Thornhill, which also houses Nana Rose, the oldest Blossom alive, and the twins—Jason, the (fuckboy) football star who is rumored to be the father of Polly Cooper's child, and Cheryl, the self-proclaimed Head Bitch-In-Charge and (red) queen bee of town.

The Coopers were considered Riverdale's stepford family, although they've had their fair share of scandal—they were only good at hiding it. Hal, the head of the household, controlled nearly all media outlets so he had power in filtering what people know about them. Gossip was harder to get rid of, though, especially since everyone seems to have their nose up their business. Other members included Alice, his wife and a prominent movie star in the 80's era of classic films, who apparently had an illegitimate child early on in their marriage; Charles, the rumored illegitimate child considering that this blonde adonis only seemed to manifest one gene of Hal—his blonde hair; Polly, the rebel among the the bunch, considering that she got herself pregnant at seventeen (by fuckboy Jason Blossom) and was put on house arrest ever since; and lastly, Betty, who is considered America's sweetheart with her mesmerizing green eyes and innocent appeal. So far, it's only Betty who hasn't been caught up in a scandal...none that they know of yet.

The Andrews were one of the more humble households in Riverdale, choosing to stay out of the public eye as much as they could ever since the divorce was made official. Fred, the father, was a former male model who ran his father's construction business at the side. He was a very nice man but apparently has lost touch with his emotions ever since his divorce with Mary, who has been a model for quite some time before she decided to pursue her degree in law and is now one of the best lawyers in the country. Their child, Archie, has been labeled as Riverdale's golden boy, torn in between wanting a career in football and music. However, in matters of the heart, he's...well, he's Archie.

The Kellers are famous for two things—detective work and film production. Tom, the only living parent left of the Kellers in Riverdale, worked as a private detective for huge companies and well-known celebrities. His late wife Maria, sweet andrespected by many in the film industry for her work as a director, passed away from cancer no less than two years ago. It left Tom devastated, but no one's pain could ever surpass that of Kevin's, the couple's beloved child. He was very close to his mother and has decided to follow her footsteps in film production. Besides his wife's untimely death, they became the talk of the town when, just after a year of his wife's passing, Tom's affair with a mayor from outside Riverdale was exposed.

The Joneses were one of the more (if not most) dysfunctional families in town, trouble always a step behind them everywhere they go. They came from a long line of successful business people, and so far, it's FP II who is yet to fuck everything up. Between his cunning personality that makes him such a great business man and inability to remain sober, alas, it's the latter that weighs more. Gladys, his wife, was a famous singer who got herself mixed up with the wrong people (more like, the wrong man) and nearly drove herself to a tree while she was high and drunk, causing her to serve time in a rehabilitation center. Jellybean, their daughter, is just a few months shy of entering middle school, and thus has been kept out of the public eye often. Then there's FP III, more commonly known as Jughead, shrouded by a cloud of danger and grim that has earned him the title of Riverdale's bad boy.

I am Jughead.

Riverdale might be the dream town, but beneath it's breathtaking, glamorous facade was a growing pile of skeletons buried beneath an abundance of money—apparently, money solves everything in Riverdale.

Feeling sad? Buy drugs and booze. Feeling lonely? Pay for a night with an 'escort' from the Maple Club.

Honestly, I'm not looking forward to returning to town. You see, I've spent the past two years in Stonewall Prep, a prestigious private school outside Riverdale. I was recruited and offered a spot in their world-renowned writing class—but of course, no one knows that.

Everyone assumed that I followed in my mother's footsteps and got thrown into a rehabilitation facility for drug abuse. Remember what I said about buying drugs and booze when you feel sad? My parents made that their personal mottos. In everyone's eyes, that's what being a Jones is.

If it weren't for my sister, I wouldn't even plan on coming back. Screw the Jones empire—my father already started burning it down, anyway. I planned on running away and building my own reputation not as a Jones businessman, but as a writer.

Alas, both of my parents were declared "unfit" to take care of my sister. Without me stepping in to be her legal guardian, Jellybean would have fallen into a the foster care system, and I would never let that happen. Even if it means returning to this crap town and facing the things I hate most—my own name. The Jones legacy.

Welcome to the town where every face is a mask and every smile is a lie. Where every move is calculated and every relationship is either business or meant to end up in flames. Where people bathe in riches, money tainted with blood and reeking of secrets.

I fucking hate it here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this chapter! I don’t really have a schedule for posting, so let’s just hope that I don’t get writer’s block or something. Love you all!!!


	2. EP01: Baby, life is a breeze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a known fact that Betty can’t stand being around her mom, which makes for a really bad start for her day. All she can hope for it to get better, and it did...until she found out that lifelong enemy Jughead Jones is back in town.
> 
> ...
> 
> Jughead faces his dad for the first time in two years, and it’s jot the welcome entourage that you would expect.
> 
> ...
> 
> Tom drops a huge bomb on Kevin, and the two finally dig their heels in for what they stand for. Old ghosts and scandalous secrets are brought back to life; will the Keller household ever be the same again?

**_COOPER_ **

**Elizabeth Cooper hates family dinners.** Technically, the Coopers were having breakfast—but she hates anything that involves having to sit with her family. With her mother, specifically. It was another one of those "Polly, you're being very immature and reckless!" mornings, and Betty has had enough of her mother's bickering.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Alice yelled at her eldest daughter, her face masked with utter disappointment. Nothing new, Betty thought to herself as she poked her pancakes with her fork, her appetite long gone. The look on Alice's face was a common feature on her, almost like it was her signature look. Although Betty's seen it nearly everyday, she's never actually stared right into her mother's eyes and had that glint of dismay directed at her.

It was always for Polly.

Sometimes, Betty wishes that she has her sister's courage. To do what she wants to do—whenever and wherever she pleases—and be carefree, not to worry about any of the consequences. It would be a nice change from her life, since she always feels suffocated not only by her mother but by everyone else, obligating her into maintaining the perfect image of a girl that her parents fabricated for her to portray.

The image that she has no choice but to maintain.

The remainder of breakfast was spent with Alice and Polly in a loud and heated argument, the other Coopers unable to do anything about it. Hal caught Betty's gaze and just gave her a soft smile before he looked down at his plate. Unlike Alice, Hal was softer on the children—except for Polly after he found out about the accidental pregnancy, but any negative emotion displayed by her father never lasted long. Sometimes, Betty thinks that he's just as suffocated as she is, also under Alice's control.

"I'm gonna go to school now." Betty said as she stood up from her seat, dressed in her uniform. Like every kid in Riverdale, she went to Riverdale Prep, the premier private school of town. Like many generations before them, they were given the best education ensured by the directors of the school.

"Okay, honey. Have a good day today, and don't forget to take your Adderall." Alice said to her, putting up a small smile on her lips.

(Betty can't wait to wipe that smile off her face.)

"I won't, mom." She got up and walked away as quickly as she could, grabbing her bag along the way. She passed by Anthony, her personal driver, on her way out and followed him as he escorted her to the car. As she was stepping into the backseat, her phone rang with Veronica Lodge's name on the caller ID. She sighed softly and answered the call, lifting it up to her ear. "Hey, V."

"Betty, can you pick me up? I'm at Archie's, and I can't ask my driver because I told my parent's I'd be at yours." Veronica's worried voice spoke through the phone.Just by hearing that, Betty knows that the two hooked up again and she couldn't help but tease her best friend about it.

"Now I'm convinced that you only stay friends with me so I can help you in all your sneaking around." She replied with a small laugh. She could hear shuffling and moving around on the other end of the call. "You know I love you, B, but I'm fucked if they find out where I was last night!"

Betty laughed softly at her best friend's words. "Well, you're fucked either way—the only difference is that one is the amazing, orgasm-inducing _fuck_ and the other is just...plain _fucked_."

"You don't understand the weight of this situation!" Veronica whined, like the spoiled princess that she is (Even Betty would admit that Veronica is more spoiled than anyone else in Riverdale and it's kind of getting out of hand). "Daddy said 'no more Archie' or he'll take my phone away for a week! That's equal to a damn week's worth of cute outfits! How am I going to take mirror selfies and let my instagram followers know that I'm alive?"

Betty could only roll her eyes at her reasons, the car slowly pulling out of the garage. "Remind me why you're my best friend again." She replied, her tone sarcastic and teasing.

"I'll pretend like you never said that." Veronica huffed, and Betty could imagine her folding her arms over her chest an stomping her foot on the ground like a child. "Plus, I'll definitely cover for you when you find and want to bang your boo."

"As if! The she-devil won't let me hang out with a boy, let alone bang one." She said and looked at Anthony through the mirror, lowering phone slightly. "Stop over at the Andrews'." The driver nodded in reply and did as she asked, driving down the street to the Andrews' beautiful home. Now out of sight from Alice Cooper, she was able to finally take a deep breath and let loose a little. She rolled the windows down and watched as Veronica rushed out of the Andrews' front door, already wearing her uniform although her hair was a little messy.

Clearly, even Fred Andrews didn't know that she was with Archie. Betty thinks that it's because he wasn't home and the young couple used it to their advantage.

"Uh, you got a little something here." Betty said as she pointed her finger to a spot on her neck. Veronica groaned and sat beside her, reaching for the compact mirror in her bag to check on the spot. Indeed, their was a hickey on her neck.

"Fuck! Do you have concealer? I left mine at home." She panicked, staring at the small red hickey by her collarbone. Betty fished for her concealer in her bag and handed it to Veronica with a soft sigh. "When will you guys stop being horny rabbits? You guys are still going at it on school nights."

"Just keeping myself and my man satisfied, girl." She smirked and applied just enough concealer to cover her hickey. "Also, you wouldn't believe what Archie told me last night."

Betty's attention was drawn to her phone, playing a game to pass the time. She only hummed in response, her gaze focused on her phone—she even nearly missed what Veronica said.

"Jughead Jones is coming back to town."

Although she was zoned out, the mention of his name was enough for her to snap back in reality. She frowned, knowing exactly who he was. They've hated each other for as long as they can remember, always found reasons to start arguments and now that she thinks about it, they're always so pointless but it's never come to a point where she completely despises him (she does, but not enough to cut him off).

"Oh, I didn't know that he's already finished rehab." She said, putting her phone down. "I'm surprised that they let him go, considering how much of an asshole he is. They must have done serious work on him to get him back in line and release him from the program."

"From what Archie tells me, he seems to be doing better than before." Veronica replied, glancing at her best friend, knowing the nature of Betty and Jughead's relationship. Betty is America's sweetheart and everyone adores her—everyone except Jughead, apparently.

"You should just ignore him. No encounter between you two ever goes well." The raven haired princess sighed and gazed out the window as they arrived in the huge gated lot which was Riverdale Prep. Anyone would stare out at the buildings in awe, but for the kids in Riverdale, all those years they spent in the school have made them grow so used to the brick walls and fancy board school aesthetic.

Betty huffed and turned her head to look at Veronica. "Oh I plan on ignoring him, V. I'm definitely not looking forward to seeing him." She said, her tone firm and far from her sweet one. She has never even thought about having Jughead as her friend before, especially since it was him who started being bitter with her and picking fights with her.

Anthony drove around the roundaboutand stopped the car in front of the school huge polished oak doors, now opened for the arrival of the students. The guards of the school held their doors open for them as the two best friends stepped out of the car, swinging their backpacks over their shoulders.

"Naturally, you're the only person who's not looking forward to seeing him." Veronica rolled her eyes as they walked down the halls to their lockers. "Archie said that, and I quote, 'Jughead grew and glowed up'. Everyone's curious to see what he's like now."

Betty couldn't help but scoff at Veronica's words. Like everyone she knew that, from the last time she's seen him, even though Jughead Jones wasn't built like Archie Andrews or the rest of the boys who played football he still managed to have every girl falling at his feet.

Once again, everyone but Betty.

Hell, he even had Veronica falling at his feet for a moment in time, before she was mesmerized by Archie's charm. "I'm just appreciating the goods, Betty dearest. You can hate on him all you want, but at the end of the day he'll still be hot. Do you think I have a chance with him?" were the words that Veronica Lodge said to her on one crisp September night as she braided her raven hair during a sleepover.

"He might have a glow up, but I'd still know what his insides look like." She said with a smirk before she replayed her words in her mind, seeing Veronica's confused face. "That didn't come out right." She sighed and slapped her forehead lightly.

_Fuck, that was embarrassing._

"No, it didn't." Veronica said, still staring at her. Betty planted her hands on her hips, looking straight into her best friend's eyes. "What I'm saying is, he may look hotter than he did before, which I doubt would be true since he was never hot in the first place, but I'm positive that he's still an asshole." She let out a sigh and continued speaking. All the memories of their stupid, pointless fights flashing in her mind. When she heard that he was gone, a part of her was happy about it, and she didn't care much at all. Now that he was back, she dreaded seeing him again.

"He'll always be an asshole."

──────────── · · · · ✦

_**JONES** _

**"Welcome home, son."**

Fuck, I can't wait to leave already, Jughead Jones thought to himself as he heard that voice that he's always dreaded to hear once again. He was standing in the kitchen, making a sandwich for Jellybean when she wakes up. Already dressed in Riverdale Prep's signature navy blue colors, with the gold pin attached over his left chest, he was ready to go and was hoping to avoid his father again. FP looked much more miserable than he did the last time Jughead so him, which was no surprise to him at all.

"If you must know, I arrived yesterday afternoon. I guess you were too busy drinking your ass off to realize." Jughead replied bitterly, keep his head down on the sandwich, refusing to look up at him and acknowledge his greeting. "And this isn't home."

FP looked at his son, sighing softly. "This is your home. We are still your family." He insisted, leaning against the door frame. Jughead turned to face him, looking at his father for the first time in two years. He shook his head, leaning back against the marble countertop. "This isn't my home, and you aren't my family. Or did you forget what you said to me two years ago before I left?"

_"Give up your place in the Jones empire and I will disown you."_

_"You're making a big mistake going to that shit school. You will never succeed as a writer."_

_"You aren't a Jones."_

Jughead stared at him with so much anger and hate, fury raging in his cold blue eyes. "I'm not a Jones, remember?" He scoffed, remembering the words clearly in his head. They have always haunted him, lingered in a part of his mind. He was sixteen then—sixteen and scared, unsure of what to do and who he truly is. Naturally he was interested in Stonewall Prep's offer to him, wanting a change in life, thinking that it was exactly what he needed to know what he truly wanted. He did find it there, but it wasn't what his father wanted.

He wanted to be a writer.

FP yelled at him on the phone the night that he told him, telling him never to return if that was what he wanted. Jughead, filled with anger, planted the grudge deep inside him and let it be his drive to become better in the career that he had chosen for himself. He was the top of his section, one of the best writers of the Prep, but of course it didn't matter to him.

Nothing ever did, not even their own family. Jughead knew that it was him who drove their mother insane, and he blamed him completely for it. He wasn't a fool—he knew that Gladys was responsible for her actions, but on hindsight, it FP who was the reason that his mother's life was ruined.

Gladys had so much waiting of her, had a bright future. There were even times when Jughead wished that she hadn't met FP at all, and wondered what her life would have been like.

_She wouldn't have had me, but that would have saved me from all this misery._

FP stayed silent, his dark brown eyes staring at him. They stood proud, unable to set their pride aside. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to leave for school now. Jellybean's breakfast is already prepared so wake her up soon, if you don't mind. Or not, if you'tr too busy being a shit father. I can do it myself." He spoke angrily, glaring at him as he walked past him.

_Fuck this._

──────────── · · · · ✦

_**KELLER** _

**Kevin Keller certainly wasn't impressed.** It was a beautiful morning in Riverdale; the sun shone bright and the sky was blue. Birds chirped and butterflies flew over the well-groomed green lawn of the Keller mansion. The Kellers were currently having breakfast, but Kevin was not having it. He dropped his utensils to his plate, glaring at his father. "You did what?!"

"What was I supposed to do, Kevin? I love her!" Tom said, trying reason with his son, seeing that he wasn't taking the news well. "Of course I would propose to Sierra!"

Kevin felt as if he was a train, steam blowing from his ears. He could feel his blood boiling, his face tinted red as he stared at him. "How can you do that? How can you do that to mom?!" He shouted at him, not knowing how else to express his anger. He could feel tears on the brim of his eyes, threatening to fall, demanding for answers.

Of course he was hurting. It's only been over a year since his mother, Maria Keller, died. Two months ago, his father was exposed for his affair with Sierra McCoy, the mayor of Greendale which is a local town outside Riverdale. From what he's deduced, the affair started just before his mom died. He could remember his dad starting to get distant, getting home later than usual and almost always zoned out. He could hear his parents yelling when they thought that he was asleep, when in reality he was sitting down on the top step of the stairs as his parents fought in the living room.

Both Kevin and his mom thought that Tom was just stressed because he was very busy with a case over in Greendale, when in fact it was because he was getting busy with their mayor instead.

Kevin blames him for being the cause of his Maria's death. He thinks that, besides the cancer, it's because she found out that he cheated and couldn't handle the pain and sadness. He knew that his mom was getting better, she was getting all the best treatment and for some time everything was normal for them.

He thinks that his father's infidelity is what pushed her over the edge.

Tom sighed, clearly affected by the mention of Maria. "I have always loved your mother, Kevin. I always will-"

"Then why did you cheat on her?" Tears flowed freely from his eyes as he kept his gaze on her. "Why would you intentionally do something that you knew would kill her? She loved you with all your heart and you threw her away for some whore!"

With both Keller men overpowered by anger, it was meant to be a chaotic day for the both of them. Tom slammed his fist on the table and reached for Kevin's collar, gripping it in his hands. He held him up, pulling him from his chair and lifting him slightly. "I am your father! I demand respect for as long as you live under my roof!"

Kevin stared at him with wide eyes, not expecting for his fury to take on a whole new level. He knew how angry his father could get, but never knew that it would be to the point that he would hurt his own son. Tom stared down into his son's eyes, seeing a whirlwind of emotions, but one very foreign to him.

Fear.

Kevin had been disappointed at him, angry—furious, even—but never had he been scared of him. With shaking hands his father let go of him, sending him back down on his seat. The collar of his uniform was now wrinkled, and the young Keller man was silenced. He had no words for him, nothing that he wanted to say. His eyes spoke enough for him, and he could tell that his father could see it.

"I'm sorry, son." Tom said with a sigh, sitting back down on his seat with his hands hanging from his sides. He couldn't believe that he could do that to Kevin...to Maria's son.

"You hurt your own son to defend your infidelity." Kevin spoke, his voice soft but firm, void of any emotion as he stared blankly at his father. "You hurt me, just because I don't want you marry the woman who is also a participant in my mother's death."

"Sierra had nothing to do with your mother's death, Kevin. We need to move on, it's already been a year." Tom said, but Kevin shook his head. "It has been a year for me, but it hasn't for you." He said, keeping his head down low. "While I was mourning my mother's death, you were off enjoying Greendale pussy. Admit it, I know that you've been cheating on mom even when she was alive. You've moved on even before she died!" Tom was silent, listening to his son's accusations, knowing deep in his heart that it was true. He had been cheating on Maria. "Maria and I fell out of love, Kevin."

"So you tripped and fell between another woman's legs?" Kevin scoffed in reply, filled with anger. "You know what? Fuck you." He got up and gathered hi things, refusing to look at his father again. Tom clenched his fists but held back, staring at his son as he made his way out, slamming the door behind him.

What a beautiful day, indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From now on, I'm setting a goal for this fanfic. At least 3000 words per chapter. Comment your thoughts on this chapter!


	3. EP02: Can’t wait ‘til it ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica faces her typical day at Riverdale High—bothered by the queen bee and watching her boyfriend play around with other girls. Meanwhile, Jughead goes back to Riverdale Prep and Veronica doesn’t get the reaction she expected from herself.
> 
> ...
> 
> Archie reflects on his “mistakes” and turns to Jughead not only to catch up but also to distract himself from relationship dilemmas. Jughead searches the halls for the familiar blonde ponytail.
> 
> ...
> 
> While Kevin closed himself off, refusing to let himself break in front of others after his whirlwind of a morning, Betty finally reflects on her feelings and tries to come to term whether she truly hates Jughead.

_**LODGE** _

**"Watch where you're going, closet monster!"**

Veronica rolled her eyes at the classic nickname (referencing that one time that her fellow schoolmates opened the door of the janitor's closet where she and Archie were about to have sex in as some kind of sick prank), knowing exactly who it was that said it. Cheryl Blossom walked towards them from behind her in all her glamour, all dolled up with her long red hair in waves past her shoulders and a red suit jacket adorning her torso instead of Riverdale Prep's standard navy blue colors—definitely against the dress code, but Veronica's sure that the redheaded bitch will find some way to get away with it. Her daddy probably paid the school's board of directors with a shit ton of money, an offer that they couldn't refuse considering her family's close ties to the school's founders and the hefty amount of money that Clifford Blossom had already been donating to the school regularly.

She rolled her eyes and shoved the rest of her textbooks in her locker, turning around to face her with an unamused look on her face. "Good morning, Blossom. Had enough terrorizing the freshmen yet?" Frankly, she was tired of her daily banters with Cheryl but she admits that she finds it very entertaining. She thinks that she and Cheryl could have been friends, but they started off on the wrong foot—literally, because Veronica said that her scarlet red louboutins looked horrible with the shade of red of Cheryl's party dress on the night that they met.

_"Love your style, new girl. What do you think of mine? These are a custom design."_

_"Love it, but you might want to change the shade of your heels. It doesn't really match."_

_"How dare you! In case you haven't noticed, I rock red. I am red."_

It was very petty, but that's what their relationship was. Ultimately, they're very mediocre and petty.

Cheryl huffed and flipped her red hair over her shoulder. "Oh please, Veronica. You know how much I enjoy terrorizing you." She said with a small smirk on her lips, folding her arms over her chest. "Anyway, I was going to invite you to my party, but I heard that you're currently in house arrest. It's such a shame—I mean, every party needs to have some closet action." She said.

Veronica refrained from commenting and held herself back, wanting to smack that smirk right off Cheryl's face. "Do you even know me, honey? I'm the life of the party, so of course I'll be there." She may be grounded by her father, but it's never stopped her from doing whatever she wanted. She was sure that her parents were aware of her sneaking out, but were too busy with whatever they usually do—her father too far into his business to care and her mother too busy nursing another drink and watching soap opera in her room.

"I wouldn't settle for less. Tonight at Thornhill." Cheryl said, giving her a look before she walked past her, her head held high. Veronica rolled her eyes and shut the door of her locker just in time as the bell for first period rang. She headed to class, passing by Archie who stood by his locker. He leaned against it, his hands tucked into the pockets of his blazer as he laughed at something Ginger Lopez said. They looked awfully close, immediately drawing Veronica's attention. She stood behind Archie and tapped his shoulder, her perfectly manicured eyebrow lifted in question.

"Ready to go to class, Archiekins?" She asked, shooting Ginger a threatening look before shifting his gaze back to her boyfriend. "Yeah, I'm ready." He said, picking up his backpack from the floor. Veronica saw the sneaky wink that he shot her, leaving Ginger weak in the knees as she walked away with a dreamy look in her eyes. Veronica felt the green fire of jealousy raging deep within her as she looked up at Archie.

"Why the hell were you talking to that bitch?" She asked, straightforward and firm. It was a common occurrence between them—Veronica would catch Archie talking to another girl, and she would confront him about it and they end up arguing about it; for some time, at least. The pattern stays the same, a never ending cycle of jealousy.

Quite frankly, they would just fuck it out.

Oftentimes, they were the topic of every table in Riverdale Prep's cafeteria with everyone talking about their fights, each one more explosive than the last. It's a known fact that Archie has troubles with commitment, but Veronica remained by his side through thick and thin. She refused to leave him, even in those times when he would push her away.

"Ginger? We were just talking, Ronnie, geez." He muttered, rolling his eyes and starting to walk to first period, which they shared. Veronica stuck close to him as they made their way through the busy hallway of Riverdale Prep, filled with students who were making their way to class. They passed Betty on the way to Chemistry, the blonde angel waving her hand at them as she walked towards the opposite end of the hallway. Archie enthusiastically returned the wave, a grin on his lips.

"Betty looks especially good today, don't you think?" He commented, his gaze lingering on her a few seconds longer than it should have. Veronica stayed silent and shrugged her shoulders, letting it go. How come Archie noticed how pretty Betty was and not her?

The truth was that Veronica had always been jealous of Betty. She felt terrible for thinking that way about her, but she couldn't help herself—not when every boy she has ever fallen for also fell for the young and sweet Betty Cooper. They were the best of friends and she knows that Betty would never make any move to hurt her, but the green-eyed monster never consults the conscience before it sets it's sights on someone, does it?

They entered the classroom and slipped into their usual seats, which was side by side. She could hear Archie talking about something, but she wasn't actively listening to him. She could hear his voice was the words were inaudible as she reached for her notebook in her bag, taking a pen as well. She noticed him go silent as the teacher began to speak, jotting down notes on the blank pages of her notebook. Time felt like an eternity in class, the hands of the clock moving ever so slowly. It was about fifteen minutes into the class when she saw the door open, a familiar face stepping into the classroom. The entire class gasped as Jughead Jones, in the flesh, stood by the door, his beanie sitting on top of his mop of raven locks.

Veronica doesn't remember him being so hot.

"Mr. Jones, I was starting to think that you wouldn't show up." The teacher, Mr. Gubler, spoke and glanced up at the clock. "Fifteen minutes late, as usual." Jughead furrowed his eyebrows at him, leaning against the doorway. He looked like absolute sin, his attire missing the required necktie and the first two buttons of his white shirt undone. He was taller than Veronica remembered, well over six feet and much more muscular than he was two years ago.

"I'm just in time. Fifteen minutes grace period, yeah?" He said, folding his arms over his chest. Whispers started to rise from the students, their eyes set on him.

_"Didn't he go to rehab?"_

_"Do you think he's still single?"_

_"He looks good, but I heard that he's a drug addict like his mom."_

_"I'll totally bang him. Do you think he'll go to the party?"_

Veronica saw Jughead roll his eyes at the whispers of their classmates. Mr. Gubler looked at him for a moment and gestured towards an empty seat at the front. "There are no grace periods in Riverdale Prep, Mr. Jones, but I'll let this one slide since it's your first day back." He said. Jughead gave him a small smirk in thanks and walked over to the seat that was left for him. He shot Archie a quick look, nodding his head slightly at him. "Hey, man. Welcome back." Archie said, returning the nod to greet him. "Thanks." Jughead said, his gaze moving quickly to Veronica before he sat down and turned to the board.

Veronica felt weak in her knees.

She knew that Jughead grew even more handsome in Stonewall, but she never expected to be so attracted to him. He was never her type, until she laid eyes on him now, apparently. She bit her lip softly, tearing her gaze away from him and shifting on her seat. She knows that she's supposed to be in love with Archie and that she shouldn't be eyeing other guys this way—much less Jughead, because he's his best friend—but she couldn't help herself. She's sick of Archie being the one who always gets away with his wandering eye and hands.

Maybe it's time for her to be selfish.

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_**ANDREWS** _

**Sometimes, he couldn't help himself.** He was never used to commitment, especially after everything that he's witnessed his parents go through when he was younger. As a child, he was used to coming home to his parents fighting, usually because his mother wanted to leave Riverdale to pursue something that she thinks will greatly benefit her while his father believed that staying in Riverdale would be in their best interests. He had a front row seat to the fallout of his parents' relationships, and ultimately, they were partly to blame for his difficulty.

Philophobia, as per the Internet. The fear of commitment.

He loves Veronica, he really does. That's why his eyes shine in pure apology when he gazes into her eyes as Ginger walked away. He tries his best to be as sincere as possible and could only hope that this would not end in another one of their explosive fights.

Once the class with Mr. Gubler was done, signalled by the loud ring of the bell in the hallway, he got up from his seat and gathered his things together as did everyone in the room. Veronica was not talking to him, and he figured that wasn't a good sign. With a soft sigh, he approached Jughead, leaving Veronica in her own space. He still wore his grey beanie, already a permanent part of his look. If it weren't for that single piece of fabric, he wouldn't even recognize his best friend.

"Hey, how's it going?" He asked in greeting, slipping a hand into his pocket while his other hand gripped on the strap of his backpack. Jughead lifted his head up to look at him, shrugging in reply. He slipped his textbook into his bag and swung it over onto his shoulder. "So far, nothing bad has happened. I'd say it's going pretty good." He said in reply.

"Cool." Archie replied with a small smile. "I actually checked with the secretary on your schedule, turns out we have the same one for Monday mornings. Wanna head to the next class together?" He asked him, adding "I can update you on everything if you want. Quite a lot has happened since you left."

Jughead looked at him and nodded his head in reply, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "Sure, why not? We have the same class anyway." He said with a small smile on his lips. The two of them walked out of the classroom and walked down the hallway, mixing into the sea of students. Archie spotted Cheryl Blossom by her locker, with her minions Tina and Ginger. They had they eyes on Jughead, shamelessly eyeing him. "Is Blossom still a bitch?" Jughead asked, glancing at them, though he quickly turned his gaze elsewhere.

Archie knows that the two of them never got along and barely even talked to each other, especially after Jughead told her that he wouldn't want her to be his girlfriend back in fifth grade, when Cheryl marched up to him in the middle of the cafeteria and admitted that she did have a huge crush on him (even when everyone in Riverdale Elementary already knew it).

_"I like you, Jughead Jones."_

_"Um, Cheryl...no."_

_"But I want you to be my boyfriend!"_

Now, even the mere thought of it was enough to make Jughead cringe.

"Yeah, of course she is. She's now the captain of the cheerleading team, since Polly's on house arrest. You know how the Coopers are." He said as they walked, nodding at the guys from the football team as he passed by them. From beside him, Jughead lifted an eyebrow at the mention of the Coopers, never really giving attention to any of them—unless it's Betty Cooper, of course.

"Still on their high horse, I reckon." He said with a scoff, his eyes wandering the hallways, hoping the find the blonde ponytail that he has been looking forward to seeing in person once again. He may not like her brattiness towards him very much, but he knows beauty when he sees it. From what he's gathered over social media in the past two years, he can admit that Betty definitely grew up.

If anyone knew of what he really thought about her, they would be the talk of the town. He wouldn't be taken seriously, and she would probably slap him like the blonde brat she is.

_His_ blonde brat.

"Yeah, especially Alice and Hal. I feel bad for Betty, actually. You can tell that she's at her tipping point." He said with a soft sigh. Jughead stayed silent after his statement, silently glancing around and hoping that he'd get to see the "country's sweetheart" before the day ends.

"Oh yeah? How can you say so?" Jughead asked after some time, looking at Archie, who merely shrugged in response. "Dunno, she just seems quieter...more anxious." The redhead said in reply. Once they have arrived at their next class for that day, Jughead immediately scanned the room but alas, found no sign of Betty Cooper being in that class. He sighed internally and followed Archie to their seats near the front, ignoring the others who were gawking at him. He dropped his bag to the ground and sat down beside Archie, leaning back on his seat and stretching out his legs in front of him as much as she could—it was a small, cramped space and he couldn't stretch his long legs as much as he would like to.

He picked up his pen and, instead of taking notes and paying attention to the teacher, whose voice has already faded into an inaudible state along with the rest of his surroundings, as he fantasized a certain blonde girl in his mind.

_Oh, the things I could do to her._

Jughead's definitely looking forward to seeing her again.

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**_COOPER_ **

**"You don't look like you had a good morning."** Betty said once she has caught up to Kevin, who was walking with his head down, unlike most days. Betty has always known him to be cheerful and happy, at least until his mother's death. She's been a front-row witness of his grief, but today he seemed different, and Betty was certain that this is worse than the sadness she saw in him in the past year.

Kevin lifted his head up to look at him, giving her a small smile. "Hey, Betty." He replied, ignoring what she said. He knew that she was right—he did have a bad morning, far worse than any other morning he's had in his entire life. How was he going to cope wiith his father's news? He didn't want Sierra to be in their family. Hell, he didn't even want his own father in his family anymore.

Ever the caring person, Betty decided to gently press for more information, hoping that she would be able to help him. "Did something happen, Kev?" She asked him softly. He's been one of her best friends for as long as she could remember, and he has always been there for her—she wants to return his kindness to her, especially during this really rough year that he was experiencing.

"I don't really want to talk about it, Betty." He replied with a soft, broken voice; Betty could feel her heart aching for him. She could see that he was in pain—emotional, not physical. She placed a hand on his arm, wanting to let him know through that simple gesture that she would always be there for him. "You can talk to me whenever, Kevin. I'm here for you." She said, giving him a soft smile.

He smiled softly at her and nodded in reply, knowing deep in his heart that Betty is his most genuine friend. Others were quick to turn against him at times, but she stuck with him through thick and thin, calling him out on his mistakes whenever it was necessary. "Thanks, Betty. I truly appreciate that...can we just talk about something else now?" He asked her, and Betty nodded immediately, knowing that would make him feel better. "Of course, Kev." She said.

"Have you see seen Jughead yet? Veronica says that he's back this year and I've heard others say that he's here now." Betty said, looking around, slightly hoping to see him. When she caught Kevin looking at her, though, she kept her gaze straight, a deep blush appearing on her cheeks.

"Just admit it, Betty. I know you secretly like him." Kevin had a teasing smile on his lips, nudging her rib with his elbow. Betty looked at him, gasping at what he said. This wasn't the first time he confronted her about that matter, but Betty's always managed to avoid answering him. This time, however, Kevin seems to be determined to squeeze the answer out of her—what is her answer, anyway?

Betty doesn't really know what it's like to like someone. Sure, she likes her friends—and of course there was that one month where she liked Archie as more than a friend—but she never felt that feeling that people say they feel when the genuinely like someone. She has never felt that "rush" that people say they feel when they see or get close to their crush. The only person she's ever had a crush on was Archie, and that was only because she was in middle school and Cheryl was convincing her that he liked her and that she should like him because, according to her, they fit together.

She just shook her head in response to Kevin, although deep inside she was unsure of her answer. Maybe she did like him—but if she did, then why does she hate him so much? Wanting to dismiss the thought immediately, she took it as her sign that she didn't like him, whatsoever. "Of course I don't, Kev. Don't be silly." She said, even if she was feeling something bubbling in the pits of her stomach. Kevin, on the other hand, stared at her like he was studying her, and Betty knows that look in her eyes; he's not buying her bullshit.

"You are a _clown_ , Betty Cooper."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all of your comments! You truly make my day 🥺

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this chapter! I don’t really have a schedule for posting, so let’s just hope that I don’t get writer’s block or something. Love you all!!!


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